Automatic or self-loading gun



Dec. 25, 1934. F. GEBAUER El AL AUTOMATIC OR SELF LOADING GUN Filed D90.21, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I IIIIIIIIIIIIII Invni'ors Dec. 25, 1934 Y F.GEBAUER ET AL AUTOMATIC OR .SELF LOADING GUN Filed Dec. 21, 1951 f 3Sheets-Sheet 2 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIllllllllinl WW 4 v 4+ Inventors:

31AM W Dec. 25, 1934. F. GEBAUER ET AL AUTOMATIC OR SELF LOADING GUN 3Sheeiis-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 21, 1931 Invento7= Patented Dec. 25, 1934UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE assignors to "Danuvia Ipari es 83Kereskedelmi R. T. firm of Budapest, Budapest, Hungary, a corporation ofHungary Y Application December 21, 1931, Serial No. 582,372 In GermanyDecember 22, 1930 10 Claims.

This invention relates to automatic fire arms, in which the barrel,having a relatively short recoil and return movement, actuates the boltdirectly, by means of a main lever. In automatic bolt mechanism of thisdescription, whenever the recoil movement of the barrel must not exceedthe usual length of 0.4 in. to 1 in. and the bolt mechanism must beadapted' for the use of modern high-power cartridges of a length of 3-4inches, the required leverage becomes so very high that it often causesinconveniences and difficulties in the opening of the bolt.

The object of our invention is to improve the functioning of such boltmechanism by employing the inevitable high leverage for the closingmovement of the bolt only, whereas at its opening movement the highleverage does not come into play. Accordingly, according to ourinvention the moving barrel, although it effects directly the unlockingand opening of the bolt, does so on a long lever arm, i. e., at a lowratio of leverage, whereas it performs the closing movement of thebarrel forcibly, with the full high-leverage.

Several forms of embodiment of the invention are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings.

Referring briefly to the drawings:

Figs. 1 and 2 are longitudinal sections of one form of embodiment of theinvention, with bolt closed and open, respectively.

Figs. 3 and 4 are longitudinal sections of the same mechanism, butprovided with a lever for forcibly loosening the spent shell.

Fig. 5 is a similar view of another.

Figs. 6 and 7 of a third. 7

Figs. 8 and 9 of a fourth and Fig. 10 of a fifth form of embodiment ofthe invention.

Figs. 11 and 12 are longitudinal and horizontal sections, respectively,of a sixth form of embodiment of the invention.

The barrel 1 (Fig. 1) is slidably mounted in the receiver 30 for a shortrecoil and return movement. An extension 2 of the barrel 1 runs belowthe bolt 3, and is preferably longer than the latter. The rearmost endof the barrel extension 2 is loosely connected to a lever 4, pivotallymounted in a lower part of the receiver 30. The locking of the bolt 3 tothe barrel 1 or the barrelextension 2 may be arranged in any usualmanner. In the accompanying drawings a typical locking latch 7 is shown,which may be held in its locking position by the spring 8. During therecoil of the moving parts the head of the locking latch '7 glides onthe cam surface 31 of the receiver 30 and thus unlocks the bolt. Aspring 10 continually presses the barrel 1 forward by means of itsextension 2. The rounded head of the main-lever 4 engages the rear endof the bolt 3. A latch 5 is pivotally mounted in the receiver 30, and isactuated by a spring 6.

The lever 4 is swung by the extension 2 of the recoiling barrel 1 intoits rearmost position (Fig. 2) During this motion the lever 4 does notaffect the bolt 3. When the barrel 1 and its extension 2 reach theirrearmost position, the hook of the latch 5 is pressed by thespring 6into a corresponding notch of the barrel-extension 2 and so preventsforward movement of the barrel. In the meantime the bolt 3 has beenunlocked owing to the cam surface 31 lifting the locking latch 7 fromthe locking notch of the bolt 3. The barrel, in the first phase of itsrecoil movement, imparts a rearward impulse to the bolt 3, whereby thelatter continues its rearward travel freely, without having to overcomethe resistance of a recoil spring. During this movement of the bolt thespent shell is ejected by one of the usual methods. Subsequently thebolt 3 reaches its rearmost position and in the last phase of itsmovement acts against the upper arm of the latch 5, thereby withdrawingits hook from the notch of the barrel-extension 2. Thereby the barrelspring 10 is allowed to expand and pushes the barrel 1 and its extension2 into their foremost position. During and. by this movement the mainlever 4 is also swung forward and its head pushes the bolt 3 into itsforemost, closed position (Fig. 1), as the head of the main lever 4travels a path which is, in proportion to the leverage, longer than thepath of travel of the barrel, the bolt 3 is perfectly pushed home, intoits closed position, by the main lever 4.

Whenever it is desired to forcibly loosen the spent shell and so insurea perfect opening of the bolt, a separate lever 9 may be employed (Fig.3) in the usual manner. During the first part of the recoil movement ofthe barrel the lower arm of the lever 9 hits an abutment 9, is swungbackward, so that its upper arm loosens the bolt 3 and throws itbackward, as shown in Fig. 4.

In some cases it may be found convenient not to attach thebarrel-extension 2 in the above described manner to the main lever 4.Then the main lever 4 (Fig. 5) is provided with a lateral projection orlug 13 which remains in contact with the rearmost end of thebarrel-extension 2 during the rearward travel of the barrel. The barrelspring 10 works on the barrel-extension 2 somewhere on its fore part anddoes not affect the main lever 4 directly. The latter is two armed inthis form of embodiment: its short, lower arm is connected to a spring17, attached at its other end to the receiver wall and tending to swingthe long arm of the main lever 4 into its foremost position. During therecoil movement of the barrel its extension 2 pushes the upper arm ofthe main lever 4 backwards, into its position shown in dotted lines. Theproper opening of the bolt occurs in exactly the same way as with thepreviously described types of embodiment. The main lever 4 is caught inits rearmost position by a latch 5 held in the correct position by itsown spring 6 and engaging a projection 22 of the main lever 4. Havingperformed its recoil movement, the barrel 1 is pushed forward by itsspring 10. During this forward movement of the barrel a bead 19 of thebarrelextension 2 depresses the fore-arm 18 of a two armed lever, whichis pivotally mounted in the receiver at one side of the main lever.Thereby the rear arm 20 of this lever is lifted and forces the latch 5out of engagement with the projection 22 of the main lever 4. The latteris thus released and is swung forward by its own spring 17, therebypushing the bolt 3 forward into its closed position.

The disengagement of the latch could in this instance also be effectedby the bolt itself, if the latch 5 were provided with an upper arm,projecting into the path of the bolt 3. Thus the parts 18, 19, 20 wouldbe eliminated.

The loosening of the unlocked bolt can well be effected by the mainlever 4 itself. This result can be achieved by connecting the main lever4.

to the bolt 3 as shown in Fig. 6, by means of a slidable pin or othersimilar connecting means. In this form of embodiment the recoil movementof the barrel first unlocks the bolt, then a" shoulder 11 of thebarrel-extension 2 delivers a-blow to the lateral projection 13 of themain lever 4,

thereby loosening the bolt and increasing its rearward impulse. Thelateral projection 13 of the main lever 4 is at about the center of itslength. Accordingly, the forcible movement of the bolt is but a fractionof its total rearward movement. The position of the main lever 4 at theend of the recoil of the barrel or at the end of the forcible movementof the bolt is shown in full lines in Fig. '7. At this point the latch 5catches the barrel-extension 2, whereas the main lever 4, together withthe bolt 3, continues its rearward movement, owing to its momentum,until it reaches its rearmost position shown in dotted linesin Fig. 7.The recoiling bolt 3 then hits the upper arm of the latch 5 and soreleases the barrel-extension 2, whereupon the barrel 1, under thepressure of its spring 10 returns to its foremost position. At thismoment a nose 12 of the barrel-ext ension 2 engages another lateralprojection or lug 14 on the main lever 4, placed at a short distancefrom its fulcrum, so that the short forward movement of the barrel issuflicient to pull the main lever 4, and with it the bolt 3, into itsforemost, closed, position.

In another type of embodiment (Fig. 8) the rear-end of thebarrel-extension is a separate part, having a head 12, a nose 15 and'atooth 24 and being controlled by its own spring 16. The extension 2 ofthe recoiling barrel 1 simultaneously touches and forces backward thelateral projection 13 of the main lever 4, and the nose 15, therebycompressing the spring 16 until the tooth 24 is en aged by'the latch 5so that the spring 18 is kept in its compressed state (Fig. 9). In themeantime the barrel returns, under the pressure of its spring 10, intoits foremost position. During this period the main lever 4 and the bolt3, connected to it by means of a sliding joint or similar connectingmeans, reach their rearmost position in which, in this instance, thebolt 3 hits the upper arm of the latch 5, releasing the head 24 andallowing the spring 16 to expand, whereupon the head 12 swings the mainlever 4 into its foremost position, i. e., closes the bolt.

The releasing of the spring 16 could equally well be effected by thebarrel-extension 2, as, for' instance, shown in Fig. 5.

In another type of embodiment (Fig. 10) the main lever 4 is pivotallymounted on the barrelextension 2. The recoil movement of the barrel, inthis instance, does not affect the main lever 4, but the latter will beswung into its rearmost position by the bolt 3, as shown in dotted linesin Fig. 10. Latching and releasing of the barrelextension 2 is here,like in the first described type of the mechanism, directly controlledby the bolt 3. The main lever 4 is two-armed. Its lower, short arm 41hits a stop of the receiver 30 only on the forward movement of thebarrel. which movement thus causes a forward swing of the upper arm ofthe main lever 4, i. e., the closing of the bolt.

A separate loosening-lever such as shown at 9 in Fig. 3 may, be providedin this form of embodiment, too, if required.

I In some cases it may be desirable to design the bolt-mechanism asshort as possible. In such cases the main lever 4 will preferably notengage the rear end of the bolt 3, but some other part of it nearer toits front end.

In such a case the main lever 4, and also the lower horizontal part ofthe barrel-extension '2, must be arranged laterally, in order to providespace for the magazine 43, as shown in Fig. 12. The main lever 4 isconnected to the bolt 3 by means of a connecting link 42. The pivot ofthe main lever 4 is placed behind the magazine 43, and seated in bothside-walls of the receiver 30. The main lever 4 is thus very exactlyguided and consequently its body may-have the form of a thin blade.

In some of the previously described embodiments of the invention,especially those shown in Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9 and 11, the main lever may beconnected to some kind of straight-pull bolt of known construction. Themain lever 4 in these types is partly swung back by the barrel 1 in aforcible manner, which movement may very easily be used for unlockingand thrusting back a breech bolt of the straight-pull type. In suchcase, the main lever 4 simultaneously acts also as a loosening-lever.

Within certain limits of construction and of functioning thecharacteristics of the invention may be altered or varied withoutdeparting from its essential features.

Thus, for instance, the barrel-extension 2 may, in any of the abovedescribed embodiments, operate the main lever 4 by means of abutments orstops or joints. Or, the main lever 4 may be arranged behind, or infront or on one side of the bolt, etc. In the types shown in Figs. 8 and9. the head 12 actuated by the main-spring 16 may operate the main lever4 on the rack and pinion principle, if the main lever 4 is provided witha toothed segment, adapted to freely rotate backward.

1. An automatic firearm comprising a barrel with a comparatively shortrecoil movement, a bolt, a main lever unafiected by the opening of thebolt and acting on the same only during its closing, a return spring,means for applying the total amount of the recoil energy to thecompressing of said return spring and a pivoted latch adapted to keepthe spring compressed until the bolt has completed its free recoilmovement.

2. Automatic fire arm comprising a stationary receiver, a barrel havinga comparatively short recoil movement relative to the receiver, arigidly locked bolt for said barrel, a closing spring, an extension onsaid barrel adapted to compress said closing spring during the recoilmovement of said barrel, a latch mounted in said stationary receiver,adapted to hold the closing spring in its cocked position, an arm onsaid latch adapted to be actuated by one of the moving parts when thebolt has reached a rearward position, to release the closing spring, anda main lever adapted to act on the bolt so as to forcibly close the sameon expansion of the closing spring.

3. In an automatic fire arm of the character described in claim 2, astationary receiver, a twoarmed latch mounted therein, a springcontrolling said latch, a closing spring adapted to be seized and heldin a cocked position by one arm of said latch, and a bolt into thepathway of which the other arm of said latch projects so as to bedeplaced thereby towards the end of its recoil movement, thus forcingthe other arm of said latch to release the closing spring.

4. In an automatic fire arm of the character described in claim 2, astationary receiver, a barrel, an extension on said barrel, a bolt, anda main lever mounted in the stationary receiver, the body of said mainlever having a loose joint with the barrel extension by having its endbear on the rear portion of the bolt, adapted to drive the bolt forwardinto its closed position during the return movement of the barrel.

5. In an automatic fire arm of the character described in claim 2, astationary receiver, a barrel, an extension on said barrel, a bolt, amain lever mounted in the stationary receiver, a lug carried by saidmain lever and a tooth on the barrel extension adapted to act on saidlug during the forward movement of said main lever, the head of saidmain lever being in sliding and pivotal engagement with the bolt.

6. Automatic fire arm of the character described in claim 2, comprisinga stationary receiver, a barrel, an extension on said barrel, a belt, amain lever, a connecting rod between said lever and said bolt, and amagazine, the lower part of said barrel extension, the body of said mainlever and the said connecting rod all being arranged on one side of themagazine, and the main lever being pivotally mounted behind the magazinein the two sides of the stationary receiver.

'1. In an automatic fire arm of the character described in claim 2, abarrel, a separate head member, a closing spring constantly holding saidhead member under compression, a tooth carried by said head member, alatch adapted to engage said tooth at the end of the recoil movement ofsaid barrel, and an extension on said barrel adapted to force said toothinto engagement with said latch.

8. Automatic fire arm of the character described in claim 2, comprisinga barrel, an extension on said barrel, a main lever having a longer anda shorter arm pivotally mounted on said barrel extension, a bolt havingits rear end in contact with the longer arm of said lever, a stationaryreceiver,

and an abutment in said stationary receiver adapted to be hit by theshorter arm of said lever during the forward movement of said barrelextension, thus causing a forward swing of the said main lever andclosing the bolt.

9. Automatic fire arm of the character described in claim 2, comprisinga barrel, an extension on 'said barrel, a stationary receiver, a mainlever pivotally mounted therein, a bolt having its rear end in contactwith the head of said lever, a. lug provided on the body of said leverin contact with the rear of said barrel extension, a tooth on said mainlever, a two-armed, spring controlled latch pivotally mounted in saidstationary receiver, adapted to engage said tooth in the rearmostposition of said main lever, a separate closing spring controlling theshorter arm of said main lever and constantly tending to swing the sameforward, another return spring adapted to move the barrel and itsextension forward by its pressure, independently of the bolt and themain lever, and means for releasing said latch by the forward movementof said barrel extension.

10. Automatic fire arm of the character described in claim 2, comprisinga main lever, a barrel, an extension on said barrel, a bolt, and a lugon the body of said main lever, at about its middle, adapted to beactuated by the recoiling barrel extension after the unlocking of thebolt, so as to use the lever not only for closing, but also asaccelerator for the opening of the bolt.

FERENC GEBAUER. PAL KIRALY.

